I thought this up around 4am one night, while listening to Korn's Greatest Hits Vol. 1. Ended up writing it around 8am the next morning.
AU, G1-Takes place sometime after the animated movie.
Summary: After braking free of Unicron's control, Megatron must deal with keeping his army of Decepticons together. His solution to stopping an all out mutiny has all those aware questioning his sanity. Rated for violence.
Hints of one-sided Megatron x Starscream. If you choose to read it that way.
Words in italics are inner thoughts.
Time increments I'll be using: nano-klik = one second
klik = one minute
solar cycle = one day
stellar cycle = one year
Enjoy and Please R & R.
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, they belong to Hasbro. I make no profit from writing this.
Megatron's POV
Another routine meeting in the war room for these monotonous updates. Soundwave at my side as usual, reporting the success of our latest energon raid. They had been going well for the past Earth month. Most likely attributed to the fact that we were dealing with Ultra Magnus' team, instead of Prime. I dare say I missed those little scuffles with the Autobot leader. His brother wasn't as much fun, he only engaged in physical combat, not the taunts and insults that I have come to enjoy between myself and Optimus.
My third in command presently going over the few casualties we sustained in our last encounter with the lesser Autobot squadron. The rest of my Decepticons at least pretending to pay attention to him, not that I am giving the same effort as I stare at the data pad in my hand. The blue tape deck finishes and awaits my response.
"Is there anything else to report?" I suppose I should have kept the bored tone out of my vocalizer, but it's not like Soundwave couldn't tell already.
Wretched telepath, no doubt pouncing at the fact my mental defenses were weakened. Truthfully they had yet to fully recover from events that shall not be mentioned, ever, least I blast a hole through the one who brings them up. Scourge had found that out the hard way. I only succeeded in stopping the laugh ready to assault my frame, but not the borderline insane grin that attached itself to my faceplates. If the stares from my soldiers were any indication.
One of the Coneheads rose to apparently put in his "two cents" as fleshlings put it. Primus we had been stuck on this mud ball planet for far too long. Ramjet began some kind of rant about useless information.
"What we need to go over, Lord Megatron, is the position of Air Commander," that got my attention. "You haven't even officially promoted Soundwave to Second in Command yet."
"Thundercracker: head Trine leader since the incidents," Soundwave began droning out in monotone. "Therefore: Thundercracker is new Air Commander."
"Wait a klik," Thundercracker choked out, he never was one for a lead position in Decepticon ranks. Though he was a better candidate than Skywarp. "Since when was this decided?"
"I'm more qualified than him," Ramjet again. "Pit, I'm more qualified to be Air Commander than Starscream ever was. Ack!"
I swiftly wrapped my left servo around his neck cables. The Conehead's back was shoved up against the wall, supported by my arm alone. His struggles were all in vain, but he probably knew that. Ramjet resorted to whimpering as my other hand moved to his delicate wings. How I loved tormenting these appendages at one point, but not the Conehead's. His pleads were just annoying, nothing like that of my original punching bag.
I could feel Soundwave in my head at that moment. Traitor. He was simply trying to calm me down. There was no need for me to destroy one of my own mechs, not that I hadn't done it before. I allowed Ramjet to slide to the floor after giving his wing a decent wrenching. He cried out in agony, not that it satisfied me any, and I turned to the others.
They shrank under my gaze, as they always did after being reminded of my capabilities. The other two Coneheads were waiting to assist their Trine Leader to the med bay. I left them to it, leaving to clear my processor and hopefully regain my dwindling sanity. Soundwave was right beside me in a matter of nano-kliks.
"What?" I growled at him while pinching the bridge of my nose. Stupid fleshling habits never ceased to annoy me.
"Lord Megatron: stressed," I could always rely on Soundwave to state the obvious and simultaneously annoy me further. "Suggestion: more recharge required."
Yes, my ever reliable and loyal Third in Command, always stating the obvious. I gave him the closest thing to a "well duh!" expression I could. Apparently it was closer to my usual glare. Not many were able to pull any emotional response from Soundwave, even fewer realized that they had done so, but to see the normally stoic mech actually flinch under my gaze always gave me the slightest tinge of satisfaction.
We made our way down the corridor leading to my quarters. A newcomer to the Nemesis wouldn't notice anything different from the other corridors in my underwater base. That is until they got too close without realizing the increased security. Various lasers, small artillery fire, I even had a trap door installed. Though when one thought about it, sending an intruder into the lower storage area wasn't always a good idea.
A quick scan of my energy field at the entrance produced a keypad next to the door. Soundwave stopped behind me as I input the three security codes to my quarters. After the codes were accepted a scanning laser identified Soundwave and granted us access. Call the security measures a result of paranoia if you want, but you try living in a base with backstabbing, bloodthirsty con mechs and then tell me it's going overboard.
"Question: Is Lord Megatron informing Decepticons of certain projects?" Soundwave just couldn't wait to bring it up, again.
"In due time, Soundwave," my tone should have stopped it there, but this was one subject that the tape deck never took a hint at.
"Possibility: lead Trine upset over moral controversy," the telepath just loved to push the issue further.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" It was rhetorical.
"Answer: Lord Megatron, leader of Decepticons, gunformer," now the processor ache began.
"I meant do I seem like the type of mech to care about how 'moral' an action is?"
Soundwave seemed to get the hint since he didn't respond. I dismissed him and sat on my berth as the processor ache increased. This had been occurring on a regular basis as of late. Sometimes it left me questioning my actions, the loyalty of my soldiers. I started having a mad laughing fit. Soundwave was the only one who could even be remotely perceived as "loyal" for everyone else it was simply self-preservation.
That fact seemed to be dying as of late though. Each of them trying to question me at every turn. I was more or less just waiting for an all out mutiny at this point. Individuals I could handle, I could push my luck against the Conehead Trine, perhaps the Triple Changers. The only real threat was that of the gestalts, but I could handle that with relative ease.
Sometime ago I programmed each gestalt with override codes, just in case they became a problem. After the fiasco with Devastator and the Triple Changers I wasn't about to risk another takeover. It seemed everything was falling apart around me now. This never would have happened if not for Unicron. How I hated that name, since braking free of his control I had decided that everything was that Pit spawned demigod's fault. I swear if Prime doesn't take him out, I sure wouldn't pass up the chance.
I rose from the berth and walked to a small hidden door on the other side of my quarters. I typed in two different codes on the keypad and walked into the room. It was actually a larger room than my main quarters, but a number of old boxes cluttered the right side. A berth was placed in the far left corner, slightly smaller than mine, with a figure already resting on it. I slowly walked over to it.
The left wing of a Seeker hung over the edge, parallel to the floor. I ran a black servo over the sensitive white appendage, not that it would get a reaction, not yet anyway. The tri-colored jetformer seemed in utter bliss, I cracked a smile seeing this. Soon that peaceful, black faceplate would be scrunched up in agony, all because of me.
As much as I hate to agree with that sycophant, glorious leader, Starscream's screechy voice called out. The motionless form before me was still offline. You are simply repeating past mistakes now. Not that I'm surprised.
"You almost sound impressed," I replied with a false smile.
Perhaps a little, the voice admitted. I suppose this is your way of saying I'm irreplaceable.
My faceplates settled into a frown, he knew I wouldn't acknowledge this fact out loud. I knew he didn't even expect a reply, let alone think he was right. "I wouldn't have to go through this if you weren't so weak."
Dents were left in his wing as I pulled my servo back. Now the Constructicons would have to make repairs before Starscream was reactivated. I growled in frustration, mostly at my own lack of control. My self-control had yet to fully return it seemed.
Starscream's voice continued in my head, ranting and arguing with me. I began to ignore him, it. The voice sounded like Starscream, but it didn't come from him. Soon I would hear that screechy, irritating voice coming from coal lip components again. How I missed those lovely insults being thrown my way. Eventually turning into pleas for mercy as I slowly tore a wing, or squeezed neck cables just right, or charged my Fusion Cannon as it pointed at his spark chamber, pointblank.
It had been about a stellar cycle since the Constructicons had completed his reconstruction. I had ordered them to keep quiet about it, though I suspected word had already gotten around to the other gestalt teams. Soundwave was keeping it to himself at least, if his little monsters found out then everyone else would in the same solar cycle. Perhaps they were right about this being immoral, maybe I had completely lost it.
It way my choice to make. As leader, I had to think of what was best for my army. Starscream may have been an annoying little glitch, but slaggit all he was my little glitch. In his own way, he kept things going, kept the army together. He kept me alert, always waiting for his next attempt, which in turn kept everyone else in line for fear of knowing exactly what I could do to them. Whether he knew, would ever know, or not was beyond me, but I needed him. Frag, I had lost it.
Starscream wouldn't be completely the same, but hopefully close enough. I had ordered Soundwave to download his memories and personality into the frame before me after its completion. His spark had long since been extinguished, so I had to improvise. This was a fact only I knew, since it was part of my own that now resided in his spark chamber. This Starscream wouldn't be disposed of so easily, he would be a real challenge. Eventually I may even be able to call him my equal, but never out loud.
I find the anticipation almost unbearable at this point. Soon order can be restored to my Decepticons, none of them will question my command again. The best part of it is that my little game with Starscream can continue. If it ever ends again, it will be on my terms, not some high-and-mighty demigod. A low growl escaped my frame at the partial memories.
One last brush of my servo over his enticing wing and I turned to leave the room. Pausing at the entrance I glanced back at the motionless form. Tomorrow, I will inform his Trine of my plans. Not that their opinions matter to me, but they are his comrades. Then our game can start anew.